Creating a DIY Design Wall

Amy
Jun 2
3 min read

Watch me create a DIY design wall in under a minute!

I have looked longingly at quilters who have fabulous design walls in their studios for years--a space dedicated to laying out quilt blocks, trying out different patterns, or simply a storage wall for orphan blocks sounded like a dream.

As a substitute, I had a large piece of Warm and White batting stuck to the wall with push pins. It served the same purpose, but let's be honest: the edges were wonky, it didn't remain flush to the wall, and it looked, well, ugly. I wanted something that made me excited to walk into my quilting room. Not another eye sore. (I have enough of that with stray fabric scraps and loose threads.)

So, I did some research. And by research, I mean I looked at Pinterest. There were so many options, but none of them really fit my needs. Many of them used foam insulation boards from the hardware store, and I liked that idea. They were big and thick enough to use straight pins on. So, I went to Lowe's and checked it out, only to be a little let down. Those specific boards were $36 a sheet! I left Lowe's only buying a roll of duct tape and decided to research a little more to see about alternatives.

I played with using foam board from the craft store, but it felt too thin. I wanted to be able to put pins in the board to hold my blocks and the 1/8" foam board wasn't it. So, I went back to Lowe's ready to bite the bullet on the insulation boards. But as I was looking, I saw Styrofoam sheeting, and the price was a little more reasonable at about $21 a sheet.

Other DIY tutorials talked about this, but I dismissed it because they warned about how easily it dents and doesn't look good. But I felt it, stared at it, and realized I could cover it with batting and then a layer of flannel and it wouldn't matter if the sheets had a few marks on them. So, I grabbed two and prayed they would fit in my SUV. (It was close, but they fit!)

I purchased 4 yards of grey flannel from Hobby Lobby and a twin sized piece of batting. Cutting the flannel into (2) two-yard sections, I sewed them together along the selvedge edge and gave it a good press. (You can use more fabric and make your design wall as big as you like!)

Making room in my kitchen, I put the two Styrofoam boards down and placed my fabric on top. I marked the boards so that the fabric would be about 4" larger all the way around. Using a razor blade, I cut down the line nearly all the way through. It was easy. Then, lifted the board and bent it at the cut, and it cracked right off.

This part is not in the video because I somehow didn't record it. I thought I had, but alas, I must've not hit record.

After the boards were cut, I used duct tape along the seam on both sides of the board. I was surprised at how sturdy it was when I stood it up! I then placed my batting on the floor and the board on top. Pulling the batting taut, I taped it to the board with my duct tape. This method worked, but I wondered if it would hold up in the long run.

Standing my board up again, I placed my grey flannel on the ground and dropped the board on top. I repeated the same process of wrapping the fabric around the board like I did with the batting, but this time, I used my stapler! And this was no industrial stapler, just my regular ole' Swingline.

It was perfect!

I debated on how to hang this thing. Many other tutorials used screws and washers, and that seemed like a whole lot of work. Ha! So, I dug through a drawer and found some heavy duty, double-sided mounting tape I had from a previous project. I used long strips of tape around all four sides of the board, but made sure the tape was adhered to the board, not the fabric.

I hung my laser level to the wall at the height I wanted, and lifting the board, I lined the top edge with my laser line and pressed it to the wall! Easy peasy!

Grabbing some of my quilt blocks, I placed them on my new design board and did a happy dance. I'm so excited to use it!

Want to make your own? Here's a supply list graphic!